BLS 424/Topics in American Studies: Disability and the Body

Autumn 2001

Course Web Page: www.bothell.washington.edu/faculty/mgoldberg/courses/424a

Contents:

• BOOKS
• COURSE DESCRIPTION
• LEARNING OUTCOMES
• RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
• NOTE ON COMMUNICATION
• TOPICALLY-RELATED COURSES
• CLASS ASSIGNMENTS, ASSESSMENTS, AND GRADING
• NOTE ON PLAGIARISM
• WEEKLY SCHEDULE
• ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES

BOOKS (Available at the UWB Bookstore and on reserve at the library):

• Simi Linton, Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity
• Paul K. Longmore and Lauri Umansky, The New Disability History: American Perspectives
• Peter N. Stearns, Fat History, Bodies and Beauty in the Modern West

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Who is "disabled" or "Ill"? Who is "deformed"? Who is "normal" and "healthy"? How do different groups perceive each other, how is this manifested in their discursive practices, and how does it affect the way people act both individually and as a society? With these foundational questions in mind, we will examine how the historical roots and current cultural context of "disability" in America have shaped the Disability Rights movement(s) and the laws, policies, and legal actions that it generated, especially the Americans with Disabilities Act. In turn, we will consider how the movement, the larger disability community, and the notion of disability in general have shaped American "mainstream" culture.

In the first half of the course, we explore these topics through readings that cover theoretical issues as well as case studies, and fiction films and documentaries that stress the perspective of people with disabilities. Although we will make use of some textual interpretation (especially narrative analysis), we will rely more on a more literal approach, using the films to help us raise and clarify issues. This part of the course will consist of large group and small group discussions (including participation in an online discussion forum), with some short lectures to supplement the reading material. During this period, students will be choosing a research topic, formulating their research question, doing initial research, and creating a short research prospectus. This work will be supported by small research groups and ongoing intervention by the instructors. Beginning week five, we will use fiction films to explore representations of disability and the way cinema has been a site of confirmation, negotiation, and contestation regarding these representations. In order to enable students to begin their research while devoting sufficient time to the readings and postings, the amount of reading has been limited during this time. Note that the course meets only once a week, instead of the usual two, and thus the assignments represent an entire week's worth of work. Please plan accordingly, and do not expect to do all of the work necessary a day or two before class meets. Instead, plan to do at least some of the work earlier in the week (for example, the research).

In the second part of the course, when students will focus their out-of-class work on their research assignments, we will use the Hollywood films as the focus of our continued conversation about disability and American culture. Students will also continue to work with their small research groups. The course is not intended as a "survey" of the topic or of the new and vibrant field of Disability Studies, which would be impossible in such a short time. Instead, students will be gaining the theoretical tools and knowledge needed to develop a more complex understanding during the research project process. In turn, students will be sharing their findings with their classmates both in their research groups and during presentations on the last day of class, and so gain a more diverse appreciation of the place of disability in its historical and contemporary context, and the issues facing people with and without disabilities.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES:

This course has been designed with the goal of placing learning outcomes at the center of its focus. The course designers have started by identifying specific outcomes (see below) and have then chosen the assessments, processes, and texts best suited for students with a variety of learning styles to succeed. (Goldberg was responsible for the course content, while Goldberg and Leadley worked cooperatively to develop the research project.) As part of this outcomes-based approach, we have sought to identify the explicit purpose for all components of the course so students are aware of why and how they are learning. We also provide supportive features wherever appropriate (including explanatory documents, links to useful web sites, group workshops and peer review, and feedback throughout the process) as part of a learning process that enables students to build knowledge and skills progressively throughout the course (known as "scaffolding"). By using this approach, we hope to make students more aware of their responsibility in the teaching and learning process, and thus provide them with more control over it.

Intended learning outcomes include improving and/or gaining proficiencies in the following areas:

1. Effectively communicate in asynchronous written and synchronous (oral, Sign, computer-assisted) form a critical awareness of the historical and contemporary context of disability related-issues and some of the fundamental theoretical concerns of Disability Studies. ("Critical awareness" is the result of both effective comprehension and analysis of assigned course material and students'/instructors' comments.)
2. Effectively communicate in asynchronous written and synchronous form a critical awareness of the relationship between discourse, especially the role of cultural texts like film, and policy creation and enactment, by integrating content and analytical perspectives from both categories.
3. Effectively communicate in asynchronous written and synchronous form a critical awareness of the complexity and diversity of the lives of people with disabilities, their differences and similarities with the able-bodied, and the impact of cross-hatched categories like race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and class.
4. Master advanced information literacy and organizational communication skills necessary to complete a complex interdisciplinary research project. (Note that this assumes proficiency in basic information literacy skills–see below).
5. Demonstrate the necessary self-motivation necessary to complete a multi-step project.
6. Demonstrate the commitment to preparation necessary for the execution of group-related activities and the willingness to provide group members with honest, constructive criticism.
7. Demonstrate ability to interact constructively with fellow learners, including active listening and synthetic commentary.
8. Effectively communicate in asynchronous written and synchronous form the results of applying higher order thinking (application, synthesis, evaluation) to all of the outcomes stated above.

Do not be alarmed by the number and specificity of the outcomes. You are not being asked to achieve any greater level of proficiency than in any other course in which you are assessed based on "participation," "written work," etc. The difference is that in this course, you are being told explicitly what skills and knowledge you will need to demonstrate in order to succeed as a learner and improve your grade in the course (the two are not always the same thing). And when you finish the course, including the final self-assessment, you will have a much better understanding of which skills and knowledge categories you have mastered, and where you might need to focus future improvement in order to continue to grow as a learner.

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RECOMMENDED PREPARATION:

Although I welcome students who have experience interpreting film, this is not required for the course. (Students wishing to learn more about film analysis should consult the guide to "How to Read a Film", available through the course web site.) Unlike most film courses that I teach, which interpret subtext, we will focus more on cultural representations found in the films. The main preparation necessary is an ability to read a variety of texts critically to the degree required in a 400-level course. Further, students should enter the course with the knowledge required to complete a university-level research project, including basic understanding of library databases, the UW library system, data collection, etc. Any student who has successfully completed the Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences Program Core Course (BLS 300) should possess these skills. If you feel you need additional training in these areas, please contact Sarah Leadley.

NOTE ON COMMUNICATION: A central component of a successful outcomes-based course is open communication between instructors and students. Please avail yourself of the many avenues of communication listed at the head of the syllabus if you have anything you'd like to share with us outside of class. While direct communication is best, if you have an issue you feel uncomfortable discussing with us, you may email us anonymously through UMail, a tool developed by UW Catalyst. The tool allows you to send an anonymous email message that cannot be traced in any way to Michael Goldberg's email account. To learn more about the tool, visit the link on the course web site.

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TOPICALLY-RELATED COURSES:

The following types of courses should provide useful connections with this one, either now or in the future.

• Courses that include critical consideration of multicultural topics, especially those that interrogate notions of "normal," and "mainstream," and include consideration of alternative/marginalized cultures and their relation to the mainstream.
• Courses that investigate how culture and language/discourse create assumptions and shape actions.
• Courses that explore public policy, especially as it relates to marginalized groups and issues of social justice and equal treatment.

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS, ASSESSMENTS, AND GRADING (Corresponding outcomes are listed in parenthesis):

1. In-class participation: Much of the course will be devoted to class discussion, and you will be expected to participate with comments informed by your critical reading of the material and your attentive interaction with class members. If you are uncomfortable participating in class, please let me know and we can arrange ways to make it easier for you to do so. I try to give everyone who has something to add to discussion the necessary space to feel comfortable doing so. If you feel you are not being provided with this opportunity, please let me know.

One important preparatory tool is careful note taking when reading assigned material and viewing films. When taking notes, you should try to identify key analytical points of the reading as well as questions or ideas that you generate as you read. You may use any form that you are comfortable with (webbing, outlines, linear notes, etc.), and you may intersperse these notes with notes on lectures and in-class discussion if you like. These notebooks are due along with your final project. They will be assessed as either "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" (Very few students get this grade.) Students who do get grades of unsatisfactory are those who have clearly not engaged much of the material. However, if you have any question about whether the notes are sufficient, let me see a copy early on. The purpose of this assignment is really meant to be self-regulating–that is, it provides you with an incentive to stay on top of the course material, which will enable you to be an effective large and small group participant. (Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 7) (10% of grade)

2. One critically aware posting per week on the course web discussion board (and no more than three postings per week). Most postings will be between 5-10 sentences, and all should contain a clear analytical statement somewhere in the first few sentences that reveal the main point of the posting (similar to a thesis statement). The successful posting will be a coherent and sustained discussion of a focused issue. Avoid making a series of questions or points, or making general statements that can't be explored in any depth. The posting may be on an original topic or in response to another posting. (To find out more about how to post to EPost, the web discussion board we will be using, visit the course web site.) The first thread of the discussion board will contain a sample of an effective and an ineffective posting. Please do not add to this thread. Instead, post a new message or reply to a different one. (It's usually a good idea to compose the message in your word processing program, edit it there, and then paste it into the message box.) I will inform you by personal email if the posting does not meet the criteria for the assignment or is a particularly excellent example. Otherwise, I will inform you by personal email the first time a posting meets the criteria, but will not communicate with you again unless a posting is either substandard or excellent. I will also participate from time to time in the discussion.

This assignment serves a number of purposes. Besides providing an added forum for discussion in a course that is short on time (because of the films and research workshop), this assignment provides a "scaffolding" environment to build your skills in communicating your comprehension and analysis of the material. Also, as you assess others opinions (including my own) and learn from their insights, you have the opportunity to apply your analysis to other situations, to evaluate others opinions, and to synthesize the analysis from the variety of sources available in the course within the perspective of Disability Studies. This is precisely the type of "higher order" thinking that will be necessary to complete your research project successfully. Finally, the assignment provides you with practice in communicating in an asychronous online environment, which is increasingly being used in a number of different settings. You will receive a numerical grade for your overall performance on this assignment with your returned final exam. (Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 7) (15% of grade)

3. Individual assignment and group workshop on critical reading of sources. This assignment involves using reviews of Simi Linton's Claiming Disability to compare your critical reaction to her book to other scholars and to place her work within the larger scholarly discourse involving disability, cultural studies and identity politics, and health and disability policy. As a researcher in a new field of inquiry, it is especially important for you to create a context for your project. The assignment also gives you added experience in assessing sources, a critical feature in your research for the quarter. Finally, the assignment provides an opportunity to improve your critical reading skills. Refer to the course web site for complete details. This assignment will be available on Oct. 12. (Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7) (10% of grade)

4. Research project, including participation in a research group and completion of preliminary assignments. The project will focus on one issue concerning disability and the body and analyze the way discourse has shaped policy and/or policy has shaped discourse. The project will include a historical component but will be focused on a contemporary issue. A more complete description of the assignment, including some suggested topics, will be posted on the course web site. (Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.) (50% of grade, to be divided as noted below.)

• 250-500 word research proposal "propsectus" containing a more focused research question (heading towards a preliminary thesis), a discussion of how your topic fits into the scholarly discourse related to your question, an explanation about why your project is important (why the reader should care) , and a description of which primary and secondary sources you intend on using to answer your research question. Be as specific as possible, noting particular documents that seem especially useful. Include a working bibliography of at least five secondary sources and five primary sources. Do not submit a paper copy to me; instead, post the assignment to E-Submit [NOTE: NEW INSTRUCTIONS] by 10am on Friday, Nov. 2 (10% of project grade) Then, post your prospectus to the Peer Review Group Area that you have been assigned to by Sunday, Nov. 4, by 5pm. I will post groups on the course web site by Friday, Nov. 2, by 10pm.
• Critical assessment of your group members' research proposals, posted online (by Wednesday, Nov. 7, 11pm) and discussion of the proposals and assessments in a small group workshop. (Group members will complete an assessment form that assesses all group work relating to the project (this is both a self-assessment and an assessment of other group members). This results of this assessment (including the quality of the assessments themselves), along with my assessment of online comments, will form the basis of the group work grade, which constitutes 20% of the project grade. The assessment form is available online, and must be submitted with the final project.).
• Analytical outline that includes working thesis statement, analytical framework and organizational structure, and sources that will be used as evidence along with areas that still need additional research. Further description of the analytical outline will be available as part of the Research Project Description. Do not submit a paper copy to me; instead, post the assignment to the designated topic thread by 10am on Friday, Nov. 30. (10% of project grade.)
• Critical assessment of your group members' analytical outline, posted online, and discussion of the analytical outlines and assessments in a small group workshop. (See description of group assessment, above.) Must be posted by THURSDAY, NOV. 6, 6PM (NEW TIME AND DATE).
• Synchronous presentation of between 5-10 minutes duration (depending on size of class) that focuses on main argument, conclusions, ongoing questions. By concentrating on these aspects rather than simply reporting what you've found, the presentation should help move your writing forward another step. Students are encouraged to make use of multimedia facilities at UWB to present material in those cases where the technology will increase the effectiveness of the presentation. (i.e. Don't use technology simply to present a series of bullet points using PowerPoint.) For assessment criteria, see "Tips on (Oral) Presentation." Non-oral presentations (and corresponding guidelines) are available to students with the appropriate DSS certification. This presentation will be recorded, and you will be asked to complete a short self-assessment form of your presentation as part of the assignment. IAS students include this self-assessment, my assessment, and the tape as part of their WASAC portfolio. Dec. 14. (20% of project grade.)
• Completed project, 10-15 pages long. A more complete description of the project will be posted on the web site. Also, please review my Criteria for Evaluating Essays to understand better the criteria on which you will be assessed. You will be given a self-assessment sheet, which you should complete and turn in with your project. IAS students should place the project, self-assessment, and my assessment in their WASAC portfolio. (40% of project grade.)

5. In-class exam based on films viewed in class. This exam, which will use brief film clips as the source for short answer questions, will serve as a summative exercise to pull together the themes of the course as expressed in our discussion of the films. The exam will require brief review of notes on the films, and will not demand too great an in-depth knowledge of their content. The exam is also used as an incentive for students to view all of the films in the course and reflect on them, which will improve the level of class discussion throughout the course. (Outcomes 1, 2, and 3) (15% of grade.)

NOTE ON PLAGIARISM: All students are responsible for understanding the Student Code as it relates to plagiarism and cheating and adhering to the guidelines. Ignorance is not a valid excuse if a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing. Any violation of the Student Code will mean an automatic fail on the assignment, and may involve a referral of disciplinary action to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Although the structure of this course makes outright cheating unlikely, you should also make sure you do not commit smaller, even unintentional acts of plagiarism by consulting ASUWB's excellent online pamphlet, "Maintaining Academic Integrity."

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Week 1/Oct. 5: Course Introduction: What We Know, What We Don't Know, What We THINK We Know, and Who We Are

Reading: none

Course Pre-Assessment Survey

Film: Twitch and Shout

Discussion of film

Week 2/Oct. 12: Challenging Assumptions

Reading:

Claiming Disability, ch. 1-3, 7

Film: Gaby (1987)

Source assessment assignment introduced

Week 3/Oct. 19: Identifying Learning Opportunities Through Research

Reading:

Claiming Disability, ch. 4-6

The New Disability History,

• "Introduction: Disability History: From the Margins to the Mainstream"
• "Disability and the Justification of Inequality in American History"

Film: When Billy Broke His Head

Workshop: Source assessment assignment (Simi Linton); Introduction of research project, possible topics and questions.

Week 4/Oct. 26: Disability Rights and Policies

Reading:

The New Disability History,

• Ch. 5, "Cold Charity: Manhood, Brotherhood, and the Transformation of Disability, 1870-1900"
• Ch. 9, "Medicine, Bureaucracy, and Social Welfare: The Politics of Disability Compensation for American Veterans of World War I"
• Ch. 14,"American Disability Policy in the Twentieth Century"

No Pity: People With Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights, Joseph Shapiro, Ch, 4: "'A Hidden Army for Civil Rights." 105-141, 342-343. (Available at Campus Library Electronic Reserves.)

Film: Vital Signs: Crip Culture Talks Back

Guest Speaker: Christy Ibrahim, Disability Rights Lawyer

Introduce research proposal assignment

Week 5/Nov. 2: Cultural Attitudes and Assumptions

Reading:

The New Disability History

• Ch. 7, "The Outlook of the Problem and the Problem with the Outlook: Two Journals Reinvent Blind People in Turn-of-the-Century America"
• Ch. 10, "Helen Keller and the Politics of Civic Fitness"
• Ch. 13, "Seeing the Disabled: Visual Rhetorics of Disability in Popular Photography"

Film: The Miracle Worker (1962)

RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE/POST ONLINE BY START OF CLASS, 10am.

Week 6/Nov. 9: Cultural History of the Body: A Case Study

Reading:

Fat History: Bodies and Beauty in the Modern West (Preface, Ch. 3-6, 9, 10)

Film: What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

POST COMMENTS ON GROUP MEMBERS' PROPOSALS BY WEDS. NOV. 7, 11pm.

Research proposal returned

Week 7/Nov. 16: War and Disability I

Film: Home of the Brave (1949)

Workshop: Sharing findings, obstacles

Week 8/Nov. 23: Thanksgiving/no class

Continue with research, postings

Week 9/Nov. 30: War and Disability II

Film: Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Workshop: Organizing your evidence, organizing your arguments

ANALYTICAL OUTLINE DUE: POST BY THE START OF CLASS, 10am.

Week 10/Dec. 7: Film exam

Workshop: Analytical Outline

ASSESSMENT OF GROUP MEMBERS ANALYTICAL OUTLINE MUST BE POSTED BY THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 6PM.

Film exam will last about an hour. We will then take a break and return for the analytical outline workshop.

Week 11/Dec. 14: Presentations

Week 12/Dec. 19 (Last day of instruction) Paper due

ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES:

Post on discussion board: weekly

Critical reading of Linton's Claiming Disability: Oct. 18

Assessment of Group Work for Workshop: Oct. 25

Research Prospectus (post to E-Submit): Nov. 2

Research Prospectus (post to Peer Review Group): between Friday, Nov. 2, 10pm and Sunday, Nov. 4, 5pm (new date and time)

Post comments on group members' prospectus: Weds. Nov. 7, 11pm.

Analytical outline: Friday, Nov. 30, 10am

Post comments on group members' analytical outline: Thurs. Dec. 6, 6pm (new date and time)

Film exam: Friday, Dec. 7

Synchronous presentations: Dec. 14

Final project due: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 6pm

Assessment of group members' participation: Dec. 19, 6pm.

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